Senate Redistricting met on September 9 to solicit public input on all regions of the State, with a focus on the 2020 Census data and the upcoming legislative redistricting process. A video of the hearing can be found here.
This report is intended to give you an overview and highlight of the discussions on the various topics taken up. It is not a verbatim transcript of the discussions but is based upon what was audible or understandable to the observer and the desire to get details out as quickly as possible with few errors or omissions.
Opening Comments
Chair Huffman
- Regional public input hearings will be conducted remotely
- Today, are hearing testimony for all regions of the state
- Hearings will continue at various times throughout this, and next, week
- Unsure whether redistricting will be contained in just one special session
Public Testimony
Genesis Sanchez, NALEO Education Fund
- Urge redistricting process to be fair, accurate, transparent, and inclusive
- Maps should reflect Latino growth in TX
Demetria McCain, Self
- Urges transparent, fair, accurate representation for minority communities of interest’s economic development
- New congressional district seats should reflect growth in minority communities
Jennifer Haley, Self
- Urges aid for voter suppression in TX
- Committee should consider fair and transparent re-districting process in respect to Voting Rights Act
Lauren Eckhardt, Self
- Advocating for fair and equal districts; concerned about gerrymandering
Sydney Greenblatt, RAC-TX
- Congressional seat should reflect population growth of people of color in Northwest Houston
- Fair re-districting should alleviate economic and voter suppression of marginalized communities
Michael Beck, Self
- More localized representation, changes to district structure to prevent population alienation
- Encourages House membership increased to 225, Senate membership increased to 65
Teresa Carabajal Ravet, Self
- Need to end map manipulation, prioritize Texas Hispanic growth population
- Should allow all Tejanos virtual input on re-districting process and map proposals
Susana Carranza, Self
- Representation is ineffective in downtown and rural Austin, map should reflect metropolitan population growth
- Need to allow virtual hearings for public input, allow time for map proposal review and analysis
Karen Bryant, Self
- Committee should commit to fair and open redistricting process with proposed maps posted on public websites, allow time for public review and input
- Need to serve communities of interest, fix CD 27
- Should consider fair and transparent re-districting process for communities of interest
Michael McPhail, Self
- SD 9 most Hispanic district in state, no Hispanic representative, would create Hispanic opportunity district
- Irving, Dallas should be put in one House District
Stephanie Hoffman, Self
- Gerrymandering harms minority communities, lack of representation and congressional accountability
- Committee should complete fair, competitive, and transparent map re-districting
Guillermo Osorio, Self
- Gerrymandering harms Democracy
- Ensure constitutional administration draws interim map
Sergio De Leon, Tarrant County Justice of the Peace Precinct 5
- Need to maintain CD 33 as Tarrant County based minority coalition district and expand its boundaries to include Southern and Southeaster Tarrant County in CD 6
- Create new Hispanic opportunity district in Dallas with fair and equitable maps
Roxy Hall Williamson, Southern Coalition for Social Justice
- Must employ independent assessors of Redistricting and map drawing process
- Need to offer more opportunities for public input and contribution
Marc Young, Self
- No more majority minority districts should be allowed based on Hispanic populations, Black community majority minority districts should be allowed, however, only if not inter-dispersed
- Demographic shift suggests we should move forward with population-based redistricting
- Urges accurate redistricting for rural and urban voters to be split together 50/50
Norma Cortez, Self
- Districts are spread out and lack accurate representation for constituents
- Political and Racial gerrymandering undermines democracy, need transparent and accurate maps